PRACTICAL HINTS 



ON 



Junior League Work, 




BY 



WILBERT P. FERGUSON, B, D., 




Lid ^ t 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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PRACTICAL HINTS 



oisr 



Junior League Work. 




WILBERT P. FERGUSON, B. D., 

OF THE NEW YORK EAST CONFERENCE. 
WITH 

AN INTRODUCTION BY REV. J. F. BERRY, D.D., 

Editor of the Epworth Herald. 



OCT I® 189 2 

% OF WASHWSS^ 



CINCINNATI: CRANSTON & CURTS. 
NEW YORK : HUNT & EATON. 
1892. 




Copyright 
BY CRANSTON & CURTS, 



"That our sons may be as plants grown up 
in their youth ; that our daughters may be as 
corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a 
palace." 

—Psalm cxliv, 12. 

" I desire to form a league, offensive and de- 
fensive, with every soldier of Jesus Christ" 

—John Wesley. 



PREFACE. 



The writing of " Practical Hints on Junior 
League Work" has been undertaken at the 
request of many Epworth workers, who have 
listened to my essays and addresses upon this 
topic from various platforms in the East and 
West, and of many correspondents who have 
read the several articles upon this same topic 
published from my pen in the Epworth Her- 
ald. The hints here given have been de- 
rived from my own experience, from a wide 
correspondence with the presidents of nearly 
one hundred Junior Leagues, and from the 
columns of that matchless young people's 
paper, the Epworth Herald. The plans that 
will be suggested are, therefore, not visionary, 
but "practical" — not all proven in any one 
chapter, nor recommended to be adopted in 

toto by any one chapter; but set forth as a 

s 



6 



PREFACE. 



record of past results and a guide to larger 
future success. There are less than one 
thousand chapters of the Junior League re- 
corded at the central office. If our pastors 
and Epworth Leagues become alive to their 
responsibility and opportunity, there should 
be recorded ten thousand chapters within 
the next five years. To assist in the attain- 
ment of this hope, this manual is sent forth 
with a prayer that it may contribute momen- 
tum and efficiency to our noble Epworth 
movement. 

WIIvBERT P. FERGUSON. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 
Historical. 

Christianity and Childhood — Catechetics — Methodism 
and Child-culture — The Sunday-school Movement — 
Children's Classes — The Bp worth I,eague — The 
First league in the Kpworth Rectory — The Spread 
of the league Movement. Page, 17 

CHAPTER n. 

General Hints. 

Plans for Organizing — Age limits — Three leagues, 
Epworth, Intermediate, and Junior — leadership — 
Relation of the Junior League to the Pastor, Quar- 
terly Conference, and Epworth Xeague — Order of 
Meetings— Junior league Supplies — Minor Hints. 

Page, 27 

7 



8 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Department of Devotional Work. 

Its Importance — Simplicity and Cheerfulness — The 
Singing — Exercises Voluntary — leading in Prayer — 
Personal Testimony — The Address — Evangelistic 
Meetings — Opening and Closing Exercises. Page, 41 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Department of Instruction. 

Intelligent Piety— The Value of Bible Study— Methods 
of Bible Study — The Catechism-r-The Sacraments — 
Methodist History and Usages — Church Services — 
Chautauqua Young Folks' Reading Union — The 
Courses of Study suggested by the Board of 
Control. Page, 49 

CHAPTER V. 
The Department of Practical Work. 

Christ's Mission — Flowers — Tracts — Bands of Mercy- 
Visitation — The Church Benevolences — Hand-to- 
hand Work— Distribution of Papers— Temperance — 
Social Purity. Page, 58 



CONTENTS. 



9 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Department of Entertainment. 
The Amusement Question — The Monthly Meetings — 
Annual Exhibition — Games — Lectures — Athletic 
Association — Cadet Drill — Money Raising — The 
Secretary's Duties. Page, 66 



APPENDIX. 

I. Constitution of Junior League, ..... 75 
II. A Specimen Meeting of the Epworth 

Guards, 81 

III. The Children's Hour of Rev. Dr. J. J. Reed, 88 

IV. Courses of Study for the Junior League, 99 
V. A List of Topics for Junior League Meet- 
ings, 101 



INTRODUCTION. 



"Writk a brief introduction to ' Practical 
Hints for Junior League Work?'" Certainly. 

I hail the new book with gladness. So will 
hundreds of others. It is needed. It is needed 
sorely. No phase of the young people of Meth- 
odism is more vital, and in no department of 
our work is there more urgent demand for prac- 
tical help-. The Junior Army grows marvel- 
ously. New Leagues are springing up every 
day. New battalions of bright boys and girls 
are being marshaled in different sections of the 
Church, and are proudly marching under the 
ample folds of our Epworth banner. How to 
interest, win, train, and save these youthful 
hosts, is a question that may well engage our 
earnest and prayerful attention. The Junior 
League is intended to supplement the Sunday- 
school, and to be a recruiting and training 
station for the Senior League. I am sure this 



12 



INTRODUCTION. 



new book will come as a benediction to many 
devoted workers among the children who are 
anxious to learn "How to do it." May the 
helpful suggestions which my friend, Mr. Fer- 
guson, has collected and arranged with such 
great painstaking, prove a means of stimula- 
tion and inspiration to all into whose hands the 
little volume may come! 

JOSEPH F. BERRY. 

Chicago, 1892. 



PRACTICAL HINTS 

ON 

ior League Work. 



flfcotto of tbe Junior Xeague* 



"Look up, and not down ; 
Look out, and not in ; 
Look forward, and not back ! 
And lend a hand." 



PRACTICAL HINTS 

ON 

JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



Chapter I. 

HISTORICAL. 

Christianity and Childhood — Catechetics— Meth- 
odism and Child-culture— The Sunday-school 
Movement— Children's Classes — The Epworth 
League — The First League in the Epworth 
Rectory — The Spread of the League Move- 
ment. 

Christianity alone is the nurse of child- 
hood. Infidelity and heathen- chris tianit y and 
ism leave children to perish. childhood - 

The catechumenates of the early Chris- 
tian Church were training schools for adult 
"proselytes" until the fourth century. Then 
infant baptism became univer- catechetics. 
sal ; and the Church drawing the majority of 

her recruits from childhood, her catechumens 

2 17 



18 junior league work, 

became more and more largely her baptized 
children. Their instruction was preparatory 
for confirmation, and engaged the effort of 
men of the rarest gifts, profoundest learn- 
ing, and deepest piety — such as Origen and 
Clement at Alexandria. In the eighth cen- 
tury the confessional was substituted for the 
catechumenate. But the Lutheran Refor- 
mation revived the catechetical teaching of 
youth. Then Protestant Christianity, through 
Hannah Ball and Robert Raikes, was blessed 
and stirred in the eighteenth century with 
a new and popular agency in reaching the 
young, now known as the Sunday-school. 
Since then the Church has come to under- 
stand quite fully that she is not merely an 
army, ever assailing, ever conquering, but 
more especially a colony, carrying within 
herself all the elements of her maturity — 
her own children — transforming into a state 
which will ultimately become world-wide. 

The Calvinian and Lutheran Churches 
have most faithfully trained their children 



HISTORICAL. 



*9 



in all that is essential to Christian " faith 
and practice." Methodism, however, from 
the very outset has sought to be faithful in 
her duty to the young. Mr. Methodism and 
Wesley displayed great zeal in child - culture - 
the establishment of Sunday-schools in Eng- 
land, inventing the expression, " The Sun- 
day-school is the nursery of the Church." 
He also organized, and instructed his preach- 
ers to organize, classes for the instruction of 
the children of Methodist parents, wherever 
ten could be collected. This same order was 
issued to his preachers in America, so that 
its Methodism from her earliest days has 
ever manifested interest in the spiritual wel- 
fare of the children. In the first Discipline 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church (1784) 
the question was asked, "What shall we do 
for the rising generation ?" and five distinct 
answers were given, the first of which we 
quote: "Where there are ten children whose 
parents are in the society, meet them at least 
once every week." In addition to this, every 



20 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK, 



preacher, before being admitted, was re- 
quired to solemnly promise to diligently in- 
struct the children in every place. 

In 1787 directions were given by the Con- 
ference for the formation of classes of chil- 
dren, with a view to their graduation into 
the Church. And in 1790 the Sunday-school 



" to teach gratis all that will attend, and have 
a capacity to learn, from six o'clock in the 
morning till ten, and from two o'clock in the: 
afternoon till six, where it does not interfere 
with public worship." I make these two his- 
torical allusions to show that Sunday-schools 
were not intended to supersede the children's 



ents are in a society ;" the former were 
established for " poor children, white and 
black." The great object of the classes was 
personal piety; to this the Sunday-school 
added learning to read. Ever since the dates 



The Sunday- 
school movement. 



was first officially recognized in 
the Minutes of the Conferences, 



Children's 
classes. 



classes. The latter were de- 
signed for " children whose par- 



HISTORICAL. 



21 



referred to, the Methodist Episcopal Church 
has instructed her young by these two kin- 
dred systems. 

But while the Sunday-school has been de- 
veloped, especially since the organization of 
the Sunday-school Union in 1840, as a con- 
nectional agency under the direction of com- 
petent editors and secretaries, and of an in- 
fluential board, " the children's class " has 
been left to the faithfulness and judgment of 
the preachers whose hands have been so 
busily occupied that they have not, except 
in rare cases, given it the attention due its 
w 7 orth, nor formed any generally accepted 
schemes assuring its success. But when the 
Epworth League was founded in The Epworth 
Cleveland, Ohio, May 15, 1889, League - 
provision was made in its Department of 
Mercy and Help for a " Junior League, pre- 
paratory to the Epworth League," which will 
undoubtedly take the place hereafter of "the 
children's class, " and be developed as a 
mighty connectional agency through methods 



22 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



wisely devised and widely disseminated. 
The importance of its work merits such 
a place in the system of the Church, side 
by side with its complement, the Sunday- 
school. 

Though the Epworth and Junior Leagues 
were given formal recognition at the same 
Convention, yet the Junior antedates in Meth- 
odism the Epworth. For the first League 
which was established in the old rectory of 
The first league Epworth Parish, Lincolnshire, 

in the Epworth 

Rectory. England, was a Junior League. 

It was composed of u the most remarkable 
family group in the history of English house- 
holds," the roll of membership being the 
largest in 1711, when there were ten boys 
and girls in its chapter: Samuel, Emilia, 
Susannah, Mary, Mehetabel, Anne, John 
(familiarly called Jacky), Martha, Charles, 
Kezia. The president was Mrs. Susannah 
Wesley, one of the most saintly and useful 
women in the history of Christianity. Into 



HISTORICAL. 



23 



this home League — Chapter No. 1 — she in- 
troduced all the features of work from which 
have been modeled the departments of the 
present Junior League ; viz., Devotional, Liter- 
ary, Practical, and Social. Pre-eminence was 
given the Devotional Department. Not only 
were the children gathered in family wor- 
ship, but were appointed regular times for 
private prayer. Each child was taken aside 
once a week, in the evening, to enjoy a con- 
versation with mother on the Christian life — 
a prophecy of the Methodist class-meeting 
system. Then a devotional meeting was 
held every Sunday afternoon, beginning in 
the kitchen, but for ampler space soon trans- 
ferred into the parish chapel, where it be- 
came the center of a wide-spread revival. 
The Literary Department was also de- 
veloped, not merely in the six hours daily of 
exacting study and instruction, but in teach- 
ing the Creed, the Commandments, and the 
Catechism, and, further, in assigning inter- 



24 JUNIOR LEAGUE) WORK. 

esting books to each member for wholesome 
reading. 

In the Social Department a certain por- 
tion of each day was set aside for healthful 
recreations, in which both parents joined. 
And under this department the president 
enforced a rule in regard to social amuse- 
ments that is worthy of being emblazoned 
upon every League banner: " Whatever 
weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness 
of your conscience, obscures your sense of 
God, or takes off the relish for spiritual 
things, that thing is sin to you, however in- 
nocent it may be in itself." The Practical 
Department, having mercy and help in view, 
sent its members forth into the parish to 
instruct the ignorant, and to minister relief 
and comfort to many sad and needy homes. 
Of its president in this line of work the 
poetic husband wrote thus : 

" Rarely abroad, or never but with me, 
Or when by pity called, or charity" 



HISTORICAL. 



25 



Thus we have found in the Epworth 
Rectory all the departments of the Junior 
League — Devotional, Literary, Social, and 
Practical — not merely adopted, but adopted 
and worked with such method that those 
young Epworthians slept, ate, studied, 
played, prayed, and even cried, according 
to rule — a method sternly rigorous, and 
yet instinct with burning and loving en- 
thusiasm — a method which gave birth to 
Method-ism* 

The Epworth League has spread into our 
numerous foreign mission-fields, has been 
transplanted into the mother Wesleyan 
Church of England, and has The spread of the 

League move- 

been adopted by the Methodist ment. 
Episcopal Church, South, and by the Meth- 
odist Church in Canada. Chapters are being 
organized in all lands, and it is expected that 
all Methodisms will soon adopt the move- 
ment. The Junior League goes everywhere 
with its mother, and is thus destined to be- 
come world-wide, "a training-school for the 



26 



JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



Epworth League, and a half-way house to 
the Church." 

" 'Tis ours to fashion the children's mind, 
To kindle their thoughts, and their hopes unbind; 
To guide their young feet in their earliest flight, 
And lure them to worlds of unsullied light ; 
To teach them to sing in their gladsome hours 
Of a Savior's love, with an angel's powers." 



Chapter II. 



GENERAL HINTS. 

Plans for Organizing — Age Limits — Three 
Leagues: The Kpworth, Intermediate, and 
Junior — Leadership — Relation of the Junior 
League to the Pastor, Quarterly Confer- 
ence, and Epworth League — Order of Meet- 
ings—Junior League Supplies — Minor Hints. 

Success often depends upon beginning 
well. Two plans are suggested in attempt- 
ing to organize. The pastor, or some suit- 
able person designated by him, plans for organ . 
may name to six or eight choice lzmg * 
boys and girls his purpose to organize a 
League, and state that he will meet them at 
a certain time to talk over plans with them, 
and with any of their young friends whom 
they wish to invite. At this first meeting let 
the motto, the pledge, the badge, and the de- 
partments be fully explained, and the story 
of the work of the Junior League in other 

localities be attractively narrated. Give each 

27 



28 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



a copy of Nos. 5 and 6 of the "Epworth 
Leaflets, " furnished by our general office or 
Book Concern, that they may be taken home 
to acquaint the parents with the aims and 
plans of the organization. In closing, ar- 
range for a second meeting, to which each of 
them may invite one friend with a view to 
membership. The League thus takes from 
the first a working form, and many boys 
and girls will be secured who would not be 
reached by public notices. At the third or 
fourth meeting adopt the constitution, ap- 
point a superintendent, with assistants, elect 
the officers, order the Secretary to report at 
once the number of members and a list of 
the officers to the central office (inclosing 
twenty-five cents for a charter), arrange the 
departments, map out a program, and thus 
put all the machinery in motion at once. 
Sometimes it will be found best not to adopt 
more than two departments, the work of 
other departments being done through kin- 
dred societies in the community to which 



GENERAL HINTS. 



29 



the members have been long or strongly 
attached. 

Another method of organizing is to have 
the pastor explain to his congregation and 
Snnday-school the history, intent, and plans 
of the Junior League, and announce a meet- 
ing to which he invites all the boys and girls 
within certain age-limits. At this first meet- 
ing he may proceed to organize at once from 
these volunteers, and commission them to 
secure the names of others for presentation 
to the cabinet. To develop this missionary 
spirit, after consultation with the boys and 
girls, particular invitations, written or printed, 
may be sent by them to those still available, 
who are as yet unreached. Too great anx- 
iety ought never to be exercised at the out- 
set to secure very large numbers, but rather 
to make all meetings attractive and all de- 
partments helpful. 

The Epworth League does not admit 
members under fourteen years of age. The 
Junior League, according to the Constitution 



30 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK, 

suggested by the Board of Control, admits 
to membership "boys and girls of good 
Age limits. moral character, who are under 
sixteen years of age." This permits youths 
from fourteen to sixteen years of age the 
option of belonging to either the Epworth 
or Junior League, or to both Leagues. This 
is a wise provision, and chiefly advantageous 
to the Junior League ; for the boys and girls 
will generally remain in it until sixteen 
years old, and prove most helpful assistants 
to the superintendent in song, testimony, 
prayer, and practical work. Children under 
seven years of age should not be enrolled. 

Trouble will most probably be experi- 
enced in retaining, contentedly, the boys and 
girls over ten years of age in the same meet- 
ing with those under that age. The former 
want no " baby business," and are often in- 
sulted or amused at the presence and crudi- 
ties of the latter. Much friction and waste 
will be saved in the stronger Churches by 
the organization of three Leagues — Epworth, 



GENERAL HINTS. 



3 1 



Intermediate, and Junior — a distribution of 
the young that is in accord with the system 
of our graded public schools, and Three i^eagues- 
in accord with the " Model Con- S^™**' 
stitution" suggested for our Sun- J umor - 
day-schools. Let the Intermediate League 
be composed of youths from twelve to six- 
teen years of age, inclusive; and let the 
Junior be composed of those from seven to 
eleven years of age, inclusive. The period 
within the age limits suggested for the Inter- 
mediate League is sensitive and whimsical to 
an alarming degree, and demands great tact 
, in preventing its number being lost to the 
Sunday-school and the Church. Too young 
to take hold of the work of the Epworth 
League, they are too old to be classed in our 
League system with those children from 
whom they are separated in our public and 
Sunday schools. This plan of an Inter- 
mediate League for the larger Churches, as 
outlined by the author in the Epworth Her- 
ald, June 12, 1890, and worked successfully 



32 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



by him for fifteen months at Mt. Pleasant, 
Iowa, has been most heartily commended by 
many prominent Epworth League workers. 
If three Leagues are not formed, harmony 
may generally be secured between the older 
and younger elements of the Junior League 
by dividing it into two sections — Section A 
and Section B. Let the devotional ex- 
ercises and practical work be carried on in 
concert, but let the instruction and many 
social lines be pursued in sections. The 
older members will thus be very helpful to 
the yonnger, and ought to be trained to 
leadership in the various departments, that, 
when graduated into the Epworth League, 
they may enter it " thoroughly furnished 
unto every good work." 

Great wisdom must be shown in the ap- 
pointment of the leader and his assistants. 
Everything depends upon their character, 
Readership, their fidelity, and their methods. 
They must be of pure life, of cheerful counte- 
nance, of gentle manners, lovers of the young, 



GENERAL HINTS. 



33 



patient in governing and teaching, full of 
earnestness and tact, ready to be " blower, 
bellows, and fuel " in all the departments. 
Magnetic and inventive leaders may succeed; 
but cheerful, patient, earnest, tactful leaders 
will always succeed. Indeed, leading in 
children's work is not so much a natural 
gift as many suppose. Almost any one of 
fair ability can become a good leader, if 
willing to pay the cost in self-sacrificing 
labor. Many Churches have no good ma- 
terial for stewards, trustees, Sunday-school 
superintendents, and class-leaders, but yet 
they appoint the best persons available to 
these positions, and train them in their 
duties. In like manner appoint to leader- 
ship the one who seems best adapted to the 
Juniors, generally a lady, and await develop- 
ments patiently. Many thus chosen will sur- 
prise their Churches in early budding into 
masterful and successful leaders. Often the 
pastor will be forced to carry this burden ; 
or may prefer to do this line of work, roll- 

3 



34 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



ing the responsibility of other lines upon his 
Church. 

The superintendent and the assistants 
should be appointed by the pastor, upon the 
Relation of the recommendation or with the ap- 



adult assistants, each having charge of a de- 
partment. They should be present at every 
meeting to assist in maintaining order, in in- 
struction, and in singing. The superintend- 
ent should be recognized as the class-leader 
of the young in the official board, thus bring- 
ing the work into connection with the Quar- 
terly Conference. By the plans outlined the 
Junior League is in contact with the Epworth 
League, the officiary of the Church, and the 
pastor. Let u home rule," however, prevail 
among the Juniors in the election of all the 
•regular officers provided for in their Consti- 
tution. The election should be from their 
own number by ballot every six months. 



Junior league to 
the pastor, Quar- 
terly Conference, 
and Epworth 



] proval of the Department of 
; > Mercy and Help of the Epworth 
League. There should be four 



GENERAL, HINTS. 



35 



If practicable, hold the devotional meet- 
ing on Sunday. Then assign Friday after- 
noon tO the Department Of In- Order of meetings. 

struction, reserving the fourth Friday of 
each month for a temperance lesson of 
twenty minutes, followed by a brief business 
session and sociable, and reserving the thir- 
teenth Friday of every three months for a 
missionary service. When impracticable to 
hold the devotional meeting on Sunday, let 
the first Friday of each month be given to a 
consecration meeting, the active members 
being expected to pray, to testify, and to re- 
port in reference to their fidelity, during the 
past month, to the pledge, and the leader ap- 
pealing to the unsaved for an immediate de- 
cision to receive Christ. On the second and 
third Fridays, after brief devotional services, 
let the time be given to instruction by classes, 
closing with a drill by the leader, an address 
or a story. Let the fourth Friday be given 
to either temperance or missionary work, ac- 
companied by the monthly business meeting 



36 JUNIOR LKAGUK WORK. 



and a sociable. For such a meeting the 
program may be arranged thus: 1. Devo- 
tional exercises at 3.30 P. M. 2. Temper- 
ance lesson at 3.45. 3. Address or story by 
the leader at 4.05. 4. Business session at 
4.15. 5. Recreation at 4.45. 6. Luncheon 
at 5.30. 7. Literary and musical entertain- 
ment at 6. 8. Social enjoyment, 6.30-7.15. 
Or, the Social Department may have its ex- 
ercises entirely separate on another after- 
noon, Saturday preferred. 

Print a program each week, to be dis- 
tributed at the close of the session of the 
Sunday-school. If not printed, let it be an- 
nounced to the Sunday-school; and at every 
meeting let the order of exercises be written 
upon a blackboard. Use cards of admission, 
punching them to guide in keeping the 
record of attendance. 

A meeting should rarely continue longer 
than forty-five minutes. " When weariness 
begins, devotion ends." Begin promptly on 



GENERAL HINTS. 



37 



time, and close promptly on time; one is as 
essential as the other. 

Have vacation periods, best adapted to 
local conditions. With boys and girls " ever- 
lasting " is a large word. Of course, the 
meetings will be held in a cheerful room, 
adorned with a charter, the League colors, 
and all the appropriate pictures and mottoes 
that can be secured. 

The charter will be neatly framed, and 
draped with the League colors. Member- 
ship cards will be issued, with Junior Wue 
the hope that they may be pre- su PP lies - 
served for many years in remembrance of 
the youthful organization. Pledge cards will 
be distributed, the members signing them at 
home in the presence of their parents, and 
at the next meeting subscribing their names 
to the pledge in the record of the secretary. 
The pledge should be adopted by every 
Junior League, even though it would neces- 
sitate two classes of membership, as in the 
Epworth — Active and Associate. It lifts up 



38 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 

a banner, pure and bright, to urge forward 
our youthful bands. It reads thus: 

Jit JX 



% iix) IjErEbg prnmt0B, with the help of God, 
To try always to do right ; 
To pray every day ; 

To read every day in the Word of God; 
To abstain from profane language, from the 
use of tobacco, and from all intoxicat- 
ing liquor. 



Make diligent inquiry, public and private, 
at least once a month, whether the members 
are faithfully observing the pledge. " Better 
is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that 
thou shouldest vow and not pay." Junior 
League vows will, however, be as well ob- 
served as Church or business vows. 

The metal badge of the Junior League 
may be secured as a charm, pin, or button ; 
neat and attractive, the members always 
delight to wear it. The color is the same 
as adopted by the Epworth League — a white 
ribbon, containing a scarlet thread woven 



GENERAL HINTS. 



39 



through it lengthwise. Establish a library 
of attractive books rejating to Christian ex- 
perience, Christian biography, and Church 
history. Distribute tracts abundantly, and 
with great variety, among the members. 
Ford's " Junior League Songster," or his 
" Melodies for Little People," will greatly 
aid in attractive and stimulating song. 
Temperance and missionary charts should be 
displayed in giving instruction in these lines. 
Whenever possible to secure these supplies, 
and others that the heeds of the work sug- 
gest, an esprit die corps will thus be created 
that shall command success. Whatever sup- 
plies are needed can be obtained at the Meth- 
odist Book Concern. 

Never call the members " children," " little 
ones," or " my dears;" call them boys and girls. 

Have a select choir to sing alone occa- 
sionally, and to sing the verses Minor hints, 
when the music is difficult,. the whole League 
joining in the chorus. 

Have a public rally annually or oftener. 



4o 



JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



Encourage the members to make brief ex- 
temporaneous talks rather than verbatim 
quotations. 

If the working force is adequate, adopt all 
the departments. But work well at least one 
department — the Devotional. 

It will add interest to name your chapter 
after some famous Christian worker; or, 
" Truth-seekers," "Epworth Guards," "The 
Loyal Legion," — any appropriate and sug- 
gestive name. 

Make but moderate use of military and 
calisthenic exercises. Seldom are our as- 
sembly-rooms suitably arranged for them, or 
our workers sufficiently versed in the science, 
or time ample for their satisfactory practice. 

"Rewards and punishments" should sel- 
dom be adopted. 

Let there be variety and elasticity in all 
the exercises, combined with definiteness 
and orderliness. Constant vigilance and over- 
sight are required. No Junior League will 
take care of itself. 



Chapter III. 

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVOTIONAL WORK. 

Its Importance — Simplicity and Cheerfulness— 
The Singing — Exercises Voluntary — Leading 
in Prayer — Personal Testimony — The Ad- 
dress — Evangelistic Meetings— Opening and . 
Closing Exercises. 

As in the Epworth, so in the Junior 
League, this is the most important of all 
the departments. Its work is its importance, 
therefore most delicate and difficult, taxing 
all the resources of a leader to give it suc- 
cess. But it must succeed, or the chapter 
will fail. 

In general, it may be said that nearly any 
plan can be worked profitably in the Depart- 
ment of Devotional Work in the Junior 
League that can be made to succeed in the 
Department of Christian Work in the Epworth 
League. There is not so wide a gulf between 
the bright boys and girls and adult Christians 
as many suppose. In hearty song, in fervent 

4i 



42 JUNIOR I^AGUE WORK. 



prayer, in intelligent testimony, many Juniors 
are not a whit inferior to the Epworthians. 
Great care must therefore be exercised, lest, 
in adapting League methods to juvenile 
minds, they become too primary. This ex- 
treme is to be as zealously avoided as its op- 
posite — methods too erudite and complex. 

Great naturalness and simplicity must 
be displayed in all its meetings. Cant, 
simplicity and stereotyped phrases, and thread- 

cheerfulness. bare p]ans should be re ligi usly 

avoided. Childhood resents veneer and fuss- 
iness. Boys and girls will not only be at- 
tracted to attend a meeting that has the 
"home air" about it, every part running in 
a plain and natural groove, but will sponta- 
neously take some helpful part at each session. 

Good singing will give heartiness and 
cheerfulness to a meeting. It is often profit-. 
The singing. able to read and comment upon 
the stanzas before singing them. The old 
standard Church hymns should be memo- 
rized and frequently sung. Soulful singing 



DEVOTIONAL WORK. 



43 



must be plentiful at every meeting, not using 
very often more than two stanzas of each 
selection. Martin Luther said: "The devil 
can stand anything but good music, and that 
sets him roaring." 

It is well that the exercises be voluntary. 
Otherwise, arrange beforehand Exercises volun . 
with those who are to take part, tary< 
that they may come fully prepared to con- 
tribute something valuable. This individual 
preparation on subdivisions of the lead- 
er's topic, or for prayer and testimony, will 
give courage to many timid ones to take 
part. 

If the Juniors are to be truly and pro- 
gressively religious, they must be taught to 
pray— and to pray in public. It ^ adingin 
is well to explain to them the pra y er - 
elements of prayer, to emphasize the fact of 
the extreme brevity and directness of the 
prayers of Scripture, and immediately before 
bowing to call for volunteers to pray to raise 
their hands. Encourage " sentence prayers." 



44 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



The leader may occasionally suggest the 
form of petition: "O Lord, I thank thee 
for . . . " Gracious Savior, forgive me 
for . . . u Heavenly Father, I need . . 
Some leaders invite the members to write a 
brief prayer at home, to be read or repeated 
at the meeting. They find that this kind of 
support is needed only for a short time. The 
Lord's Prayer should be used in nearly every 
service, its various parts being fully explained 
and applied. Let emphasis be placed upon 
reverence in attitude, in tone, and in orderli- 
ness. Little difficulty will be met in getting 
the members to kneel. Whatever posture is 
used, it is very essential to close the eyes 
while in prayer. Frequently call attention 
to the fact of God's being present in the 
room, with his eye upon our conduct and 
his ear attentive to every word. Our boys 
and girls must be reverent. 

Personal testimony of Christian experience 
should be borne modestly and plainly. Dr. 
Coke said: " Class-meetings are the pillars of 



DEVOTIONAL WORK. 



45 



Methodism." Our class system may be re- 
vived by training our children — 

"To tell to all around 
What a dear Savior they have found." 

Once a month is perhaps frequent enough 
in a Junior League. In some chapters the 
roll is called, and every member Personal testi . 
is expected to testify or quote a mony ' 
verse of Scripture. Voluntary testimony is 
generally the better. The leader may sug- 
gest some topic, on which the members will 
be expected to speak without rising to their 
feet. Hints that have been derived from re- 
cent reading, from a Sunday-school lesson, 
or from the pastor's sermon, may be sub- 
stituted for narration of experiences. Or 
the quotation of hymns may be occasionally 
substituted. 

The talk by the leader should be a " short- 
stop address," rarely exceeding five minutes 
in delivery. It is generally most The address, 
helpful as nearly midway in the service as 
possible. Chalk and charts, illustrations and 



4 6 



JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



anecdotes, ought to be freely used in ad- 
dresses. The leader should be thoroughly 
prepared. The delivery must be earnest and 
natural. " Baby-talk " will not be tolerated. 
Frequently invite the pastor or some good lay 
member to make the address. The reading 
of a good story may be made a substitute or 
complement of an address. The address 
will linger long in memory if clearly sub- 
divided, and at the close the subdivisions re- 
peated in concert by the members. In the 
appendix will be found a list of topics, also 
of books helpful to leaders. 

That the meetings may be truly evangel- 
istic, have the members present orally, or on 

Evangelistic a sli P ° f P a P et > the tiameS of 

meetings, young friends for whom they 
invite concerted prayer and effort, and oc- 
casionally erect an altar and invite penitents 
to an immediate surrender. The Juniors 
must be soundly converted in very early life, 
or the training of the League will be but 
superficial and unsatisfactory. Greater faith 



DEVOTIONAL WORK. 



47 



and interest in " child conversion " must be ex- 
ercised by our American Churches, or not only 
will the tone of the piety of future genera- 
tions depreciate, but the Churches themselves 
be depleted. Our Samuels, and Josiahs, and 
Johns, and Timothys, and Ruths will be the 
leaders of the Lord's host not many years 
hence. They have a right to enjoy now all 
there is to be enjoyed in Christian experience 
and ecclesiastical privilege. Many conver- 
sions are being reported by our Junior 
Leagues, and thus many valuable additions 
made to the roll of Church membership. 
" The streets of the city shall be full of boys 
and girls, playing in the streets thereof." 

The opening hymns may be announced 
and the opening prayer offered by one of the 
older or more spiritual members. They will 
thus be trained to leadership. The best 
closing sentence now in use is, Qpening and 
"Mizpah— The Lord watch be- cl ™ exercises - 
tween me and thee when we are absent one 
from another," to be repeated by all the 



48 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



members standing. Some chapters use the 

Junior League motto in closing, or repeat it 

just before the closing sentence: 

"Look up and not down! 
Look out and not in! 
Look forward and not back! 
And lend a hand!" 



Chapter IV. 



THE DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION. 

Intelligent Piety— The Value of Bible Study- 
Methods of Bible Study — The Catechism — 
The Sacraments — Methodist History and 
Usages — Church Services— Chautauqua Young 
Folks' Reading Union — The Course of Study 
Suggested by the Board of Control. 

Intelligent piety is as essential as fer- 
vent piety. Thoughtfulness and emotion 
should be wedded together in intelligent piety, 
the Christian life. The bright waters that 
gush forth from a pure heart are most re- 
freshing and beneficent when they flow out 
through a cultured mind. Influential lay- 
men will more and more be "the wise men 
who lay up knowledge. " " Wisdom and 
knowledge shall be the stability of thy 
times. " " The excellence of knowledge is, 
that wisdom giveth life to them that have it." 

In this department Bible study will be the 

chief and most important duty. At present 

4 49 



50 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



very few children love to study their Bibles ; 
indeed, very many have none. The recitation 
The value of °f verses and chapters from mem- 
Bible study. Qr y i ar g e iy disappeared from 

the home and Sunday-school, so that parents 
and teachers are satisfied if but the Golden 
Text of the Sunday-school lesson be mem- 
orized each week. The spiritual influence, 
as well as the educational value, of such a 
task has been lost sight of. It should be 
made prominent that the boys and girls who 
treasure in their memories many precious 
promises of the Holy Scriptures are most 
securely panoplied against assaults of temp- 
tation, and most " thoroughly furnished unto 
all good works." "Thy word have I hid in 
my heart that I might not sin against thee." 

Every member of the chapter should pur- 
chase, or be provided with, a Bible. Some- 
Methods of Bible times attendance upon the meet- 
study. « n g S p UtlC |- ua iiy atlc [ regularly for 

three months is made the condition of a gift 
of a copy with large coarse print. The course 



INSTRUCTION. 



51 



of " daily Bible reading" prescribed for the 
Epworth League may be followed by the 
older members of the Junior League, the best 
passages being marked and memorized. An- 
other plan for daily reading is to have seven 
daily verses or passages given out weekly, in 
advance, that will bear upon next week's 
topic, the members noting the references in 
a cheap diary or note-book, to be searched 
out, written down in full, and then committed 
to memory. Or, have the Bibles deposited 
near the beginning of the meeting with the 
assistants, who shall underline with red ink 
the seven daily verses for the following week, 
and return the Bibles to their owners at the 
close of the meeting along with a written or 
printed list of the references. These verses 
may then be repeated at the next meeting 
by individuals or groups, with or without 
previous notice and arrangement. In many 
chapters the verses to be learned are left en- 
tirely to the selection of the individual mem- 
bers, and are called for at the opening of 



52 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



each meeting, generally in connection with 
roll-call. Psalms may often be read in con- 
cert or responsively. The girls and boys may 
read alternately. It will hold attention more 
closely to have the leader stop at punctua- 
tion marks, rather than at the end of verses. 
Some Leagues adopt a Psalm for three 
months, to be recited in concert at the open- 
ing of every meeting — such as the first, 
eighth, twenty-third, sixty-seventh, one hun- 
dredth, or one hundred and twenty-second 
Psalm. This is a most excellent plan. The 
Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes 
should likewise be committed to memory 
and repeated. Much enthusiasm can be 
created by an occasional " Bible contest, " in 
which first place is given to the one who 
finds most readily the largest number out of 
twenty passages announced by the leader, or 
to the one who is able to name the largest 
number of Scripture characters, or repeat 
accurately the largest number of verses. 
For studying the Bible by books, authors, 



INSTRUCTION. 



53 



and periods, also its history, geography, and 
antiquities, the " Bible Lesson Leaflets " 
issued by the Methodist Book Concern can 
not be too highly commended. They should 
be found in all our Junior Leagues. Instruc- 
tion therein should be given in classes by the 
superintendent and his assistants. 

Avery interesting and profitable method of 
Bible study is the topical. Bible mountains, 
animals, boys, seas, coats, armor, women, 
mothers, queens, boats, birds, reptiles, wells, 
etc., may be taken up for study and discus- 
sion. Or, the great doctrines of God's Word 
may be thus learned. 

Members should be encouraged to narrate 
in their own language prominent Bible stories. 
An interesting test is for the leader to narrate 
a story, leaving blank the names of persons 
and places, expecting the chapter to supply 
them. Examine the members, too, as to 
locating persons, events, and truths in their 
respective places in the books of the Bible. 
Call for verses relating to some prominent 



54 JUNIOR IyKAGUK WORK. 



theme, such as love, truth, salvation. Before 
graduating from the Junior into the Epworth 
League, every youth should know a verse or 
two in support of the more prominent Scrip- 
tural doctrines and Christian experiences. 

Many other plans will suggest themselves 
to create interest in Bible study. But this 
important fact must ever be borne in mind, 
that the chief value of this study is to incar- 
nate truth in the characters and lives of the 
members. "The truth shall set them free" — 
free from sin and free to work for Christ. 
The Bible, then, must not only be learned 
and loved, but also believed and lived. 

The Catechism of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church should also be studied in Junior 
The catechism. Leagues. The catechetical plan 
of teaching can not be surpassed; and inter- 
est in our Catechism should be revived 
throughout the Church. There are loud 
calls for a revision of our present Catechism, 
or the publication of a new one, under the 
direction of committees appointed by the 



INSTRUCTION. 



55 



various Methodisms of the world. By this 
latter plan we will have a pan-Methodistic 
Catechism that will rival the Westminster 
and Heidelberg Catechisms. But the Cate- 
chism now in vogue may be, nay, ought to be, 
used systematically in Methodist homes and 
Junior Leagues. Rewards may be given for 
its mastery, which will create competition 
and interest. 

The nature of baptism and the Lord's 
Supper should be taught the Juniors, with 
their relation thereto; also the The sacrament. 
Baptismal Covenant, the General Confession, 
and the Apostles' Creed. Baptized children 
should be made to understand the signifi- 
cance of the presentation of themselves in 
early childhood unto the Lord by their 
parents, the relation they bear to the local 
Church that springs from baptism, and that 
their parents, the pastor, and the Church ex- 
pect them very early to enter the Church 
in full membership. 

The general outlines of Methodist history, 



56 JUNIOR IvEAGUK WORK. 



usages, institutions, and polity must be 
taught. The Junior League is a denomi- 
Methodist history national society, and should be 
and usages. thoroughly Methodistic. Brief 
talks on our bishops, our Book Concern, our 
benevolent societies, our colleges, our Confer- 
ences, and the constitution and work of the 
local Church, may be made very attractive. 
The Juniors should "mark well the bul- 
warks'' of Methodism. 

The order of the regular Church services, 
with their intent, should be explained, and 
church services, the duty of the members to at- 
tend them should be enforced. Each one 
should feel it incumbent to attend the preach- 
ing services and the prayer-meetings as often 
as possible. Some chapters keep a record of 
Church attendance, that is announced quar- 
terly. Other chapters meet before the Sun- 
day morning service, and march in a body 
into the auditorium to seats reserved specially 
for their use. Sometimes they are here ad- 
dressed briefly by the pastor previous to the 



INSTRUCTION. 



57 



regular sermon, or called upon to sing a hymn 
alone. 

For general culture among the older mem- 
bers, the Chautauqua Young Folks' Reading 
Union affords a most excellent Chautauqua 

Young Folks' 

course, costing less than five Reading union, 
dollars annually. Its books and leaflets will 
add much to the home enjoyment of Juniors 
during the long winter evenings or long sum- 
mer vacations. If but few can be induced to 
join the Union, it is nevertheless well to main- 
tain a local circle, placing it nnder the care of 
the local Chautauqua Literary and Scientific 
Circle, if there be one in the community. 

In the Appendix we have placed the 
courses of study provided by the Board of 
Control. With each course is The course of 
furnished a series of questions ^^ su / o ;'f d f 
for examination, and the student ControL 
who passes will receive a seal for each course, 
to be affixed to his certificate of membership. 
These courses have been wisely planned, and 
are most worthy of adoption by our chapters. 



Chapter V. 

THE DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICAL WORK. 

Christ's Mission — Flowers — Tracts — Bands of 
Mercy — Visitation — The Church Benevo- 
lences — Hand-to-Hand Work — Distribution 
of Papers — Temperance— Social Purity. 

Christ went about " doing good" to all 
classes, at all times, and in all places. " If 
Christ's mission, any in an have not the spirit of 
Christ, he is none of his." Both adults and 
youths, who are true Christians, must then 
of necessity be " practical " Christians. Their 
maxim must be, " Do all the good you can, 
in all the ways you can, to all the people 
you can." They unitedly sing with Horatius 
Bonar : 

"Work, for time is flying; 
Work, with hearts sincere; 
Work, for souls are dying; 
Work, for night is near." 

Many channels of Christian effort may be 

suggested under this department, but we can 

not insist upon uniformity, not always unity, 
58 



PRACTICAL, WORK. 



59 



in the work to be done by the Juniors. We 
have to leave large scope for individual talent, 
opportunity, and means. But while granting 
this, we must constantly urge each member 
to do "lend-a-hand " work generally. 

Flowers will be provided for the pulpit, 
and taken to the homes of the sick, and to 
decorate the graves of young Flowers, 
friends. Many instances might be cited from 
the history of our Leagues, wherein flowers, 
"the language of our God," have led souls 
to Christ and cheered many desolate hours. 
Some chapters plant their own flowers upon 
the church lot, and care for them attentively, 
that they may not only have a plentiful sup- 
ply for decoration and distribution, but that 
they may also render the surroundings of 
God's house more attractive. The "chil- 
dren's ward " of the hospital should likewise 
be generously supplied; and potted plants 
given to the poor, with the compliments of 
the chapter upon a neat card, will preach a 
daily sermon in their homes. 



60 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 

Tracts will be distributed widely and 
wisely. Mr. Wesley owed much of his suc- 
Tracts. cess to tract distribution. Our 

Tract Society furnishes at cheap rates, and 
often gratuitously, very handsome tracts 
upon a wide range of subjects. They will 
become messengers of great good to many, 
in both their quiet and hurried moments, if 
kindly and tactfully presented. The Junior 
League should largely confine its work of 
distribution to juvenile tracts among their 
own members and young friends. 

" Deeds of mercy and help" are suggested 
for this department. It will be well, then, 
to teach the members, as an act of mercy, to 
be kind to the dumb creation. For this hu- 
mane education we recommend the plans and 
Bands of Mercy, literature of " The American 
Band of Mercy." This organization will 
recognize any Junior League as an auxiliary 
band, and will provide song pamphlets, les- 
son leaflets on kindness to animals, and other 
literature, at very low prices. The address 



PRACTICAL WORK. 



6l 



of the president, Mr. George T. Angell, is 
No. 19 Milk Street, Boston, Mass. 

The sick and the blind and the aged 
should be visited, presented with flowers and 
delicacies, and cheered with sing- visitation, 
ing and reading. The presence of the Juniors 
would mean sunshine in these dark places, 
and their voices with tender tone be heard 
as the voice of the Master. Wood cut, gar- 
den cared for, snow cleaned off, for the widow, 
should engage the attention of Christian boys. 

Home and foreign missions, and the other 
great benevolent societies of our Church, 
should not merely be studied, The church be ^ 
but helped. The boys and girls 
should all learn to contribute to the main- 
tenance of these causes in a self-sacrificing 
spirit. The missionary hen and potato have 
been many times used by them to great ad- 
vantage. Boxes of new and good second- 
hand clothing may be collected and sent to 
the frontier, or to districts made desolate by 
famine, flood, or fire. Mite-boxes should 



62 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 

also be in all their homes. They must learn 
that pennies given to Christ can bring more 
real pleasure than when spent for confec- 
tionery and toys. Liberality must be incul- 
cated in our youth, or the great movements 
of the Church be crippled. It is equally im- 
portant that we emphasize in our Junior 
Leagues the duty of supporting the local 
Church and charities. It is, of course, under- 
stood that all chapters are self-supporting. 
Have sewing-schools, and " schools of do- 
mestic science " established, the articles pro- 
duced thereby being sent to benevolent in- 
stitutions. 

Hand-to-hand work should be done under 
this department in inducing children to at- 
Hand-to-hand tend Sunday-school, and to unite 
work - with the Junior League. At- 

tractive printed invitations are sent out in 
many places. It will be well, too, to organize 
in connection with it a sort of " Lookout 
Committee, " who shall visit members neg- 
lectful of the meetings or their vows. 



PRACTICAL WORK. 



63 



The distribution of good papers that have 
been read in our various homes, the loaning 
of good books, and the making Di5trit)Ution of 
of scrap-books and picture-al- papers - 
bums for poor or sick children, are worthy 
of emphasis. "Every one reads in America; 1 ' 
let us supply, then, the most wholesome lit- 
erature. In this distribution of good papers, 
the barber-shops should never be overlooked. 
Many are compelled to wait there a con- 
siderable length of time, and are compelled 
generally, if they read at all, to read the 
lowest and cheapest periodicals. 

Temperance work should be placed under 
this department in the Junior League, just 
as it is placed under the Depart- Temperance, 
ment of Mercy and Help in the Epworth 
League. The Constitution of the Junior 
League, as published by the Board of Con- 
trol, makes it, however, a separate depart- 
ment. At the outset we venture the sug- 
gestion that if a Band of Hope, Loyal 
Temperance Legion, or other juvenile tern- 



64 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



perance organization is established in the 
community, it will generally be advisable to 
commit this line of work to its care. Other- 
wise, it is the imperative duty of the Junior 
League to undertake it. Once a month, or 
every two months, it will be well to hold a 
meeting specially in the interest of temper- 
ance, with a varied program, including decla- 
mations, singing, illustration by charts or 
experiments, a brief address, signing of 
pledges, and distribution of tracts. Explain 
fully the position of our Church upon total 
abstinence and prohibition. Kindle in the 
minds of the boys and girls hatred alike of 
the drink-habit and drink-traffic. While 
picturing the horror of the ravages of strong 
drink, do not forget to brighten the picture 
with a narration of the progress of the tem- 
perance reform, both in Church and State. 
The boys must also be fully informed of the 
evils of the tobacco habit, and be kept 
therefrom, especially from cigarette-smok- 
ing. Social purity work may also be taken 



PRACTICAL WORK. 



65 



up in this department in a quiet and modest 
way. For information in juvenile work along 
the lines of the temperance and social purity, 
tobacco reforms and social purity, address 
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union 
Head-quarters, No. 161 La Salle Street, 
Chicago, 111. 

5 



Chapter VI. 

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTERTAINMENT. 

The Amusement Question — The Monthly Meet- 
ings — Annual Exhibition — Games — IvECTures— 
Athletic Association — Cadet Drill — Money- 
raising — The Secretary's Duties. 

Our buoyant boys and girls are full of 
rollic and frolic, and the Christian religion 
The amusement is not intended to destroy this 
question. youthful characteristic, but to 
hold its exercise within proper bounds and 
direct it to the highest ends. Though this 
department is often regarded as simply a 
bait to lure mischievous youths — first into a 
toleration, and then into a positive enjoy- 
ment of the other departments ; yet it must 
be held that this department has within 
itself alone many elements of good. Its aim 
is recreation, not dissipation ; amusement, 
not carousal. Helping boys and girls to en- 
joy themselves, toning the society into which 

they are being led out, strengthening their 

66 



ENTERTAINMENT. 



6 7 



powers by pleasant sport, directing social 
forces toward the Church — these are of them- 
selves objects worthy of the best Christian 
effort. It is often said that the Church has 
no right to enter u the amusement business. " 
This may be true in regard to adults, if it 
mean only that the Church should not make 
amusement an end, rather than a means to 
an end, in her sacred work, or that she 
should not enter into competition in amuse- 
ment with the world on its own level ; but 
sport is acknowledged everywhere as essen- 
tial in the true development of childhood. 
With boys and girls, work and play are re- 
ciprocally advantageous. It is apparent, then, 
that the Junior League ought to religiously 
provide pleasant and healthful entertainment 
for the profit of its members. 

In the working of this department, the 
inventive resources of leaders and members 
must be brought into use, according to local 
conditions and possibilities. The hints here 
offered must therefore be few and brief. 



68 JUNIOR IvKAGUK WORK. 



We suggest a monthly meeting. During 
the colder months let it be held in a private 
The monthly home, and during the warmer 
meetings. months in the woods, on a lawn, 
or at the sea-shore. Of course the annual 
exhibition will be held in a hall or the 
Annual exhibi- lecture-room of the church, 
tions. This exhibition should not 

merely entertain the parents and friends, 
but really "exhibit" the work that has been 
done in all departments of the League. Such 
a display will create much interest in the 
future of the chapter, and at the same time 
afford genuine pleasure both to the mem- 
bers and their friends, just as catechetical 
tests and exhibitions of the children did 
many years ago in the New England 
Churches. In connection with this annual 
exhibition, should take place the graduating 
exercises for those who are sufficiently ad- 
vanced in age and knowledge to be promoted 
to the Epworth League. There should be a 
public presentation of them by the superin- 



ENTERTAINMENT. 



6 9 



tendent of the Junior League to the presi- 
dent of the Epworth League, who shall 
question them in regard to their willingness 
to accept the pledge, and to heartily assume 
the other duties of membership. They should 
then sign the roll, be decorated with the colors 
and badge, be presented with a Constitution 
and program, and be given the right hand 
of fellowship. These exercises should be 
followed by a social hour, in which parents, 
Epworthians, and Juniors will be found to 
mingle with the greatest pleasure. 

In some chapters an annual reception is 
given parents, or the very old people of the 
Church, as a substitute for the annual ex- 
hibition. But some method should be de- 
vised in every chapter to awaken the interest 
of the adult membership of the Church. 

At the regular meetings of the depart- 
ment, part of the time should be given to 
musical and literary exercises, Games, 
and part given to games. Be sure that every 
one present has " a good time," especially 



70 JUNIOR LEAGUK WORK. 



the poorer and more timid members. Oc- 
casionally supply light refreshments. Be 
alert to find out new and -popular games. 
Sometimes in playing them it is better to 
divide into two sections, according to age. 
" Kissing games" will be, of course, excluded. 
A kodak, stereopticon, or phonograph could 
be used to afford amusement. 

On Saturday afternoon during summer a 
picnic, and during winter a sleigh-ride, should 
be occasionally enjoyed. All children who 
are not members should be excluded, and 
thus membership in the League will be en- 
hanced in their sight. 

A brief lecture course may be supplied 
without cost, but with great profit, by enlist- 
i^ectures. ing home-talent to speak on 

their travels, on historical events, on biogra- 
phy, and on natural history, or on the meth- 
ods of work pursued in the various busi- 
nesses, trades, and professions. A " curio " 
exhibition would be equally entertaining, or 
a musicale, given exclusively by members. 



ENTERTAINMENT. 



7* 



The boys may organize an athletic asso- 
ciation, with a large variety of out-door sports. 
This plan is worthy of much Athletic associa . 
attention, as it may serve to tlotf ' 
keep many members out of injurious associ- 
ations and practices. At the end of the season 
have a field-day, with the contests chiefly 
confined to the boys, and with badges, medals, 
or books as prizes. Base-ball, foot-ball, tennis, 
and quoit matches might be carried on with- 
out detriment between neighboring chapters. 

Many Leagues have established a cadet 
drill, with great interest and profit to the 
boys. It is difficult to maintain cadet drill, 
this for any considerable length of time, un- 
less a good military officer can be secured. 
The easier movements *might be introduced 
into nearly any chapter. " The Epworth 
Guards'' and " The Epworth Legion " are 
being trained according to military rule, to 
gain victory over " the world, the flesh, and 
the devil. Rev. N. J. Harkness, of the 
Rock River Conference, has given much 



72 



JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



attention to this, plan of work with great 
success, and with his kind permission we in- 
sert in the Appendix his story of "A Speci- 
men Meeting of the Epworth Guards." 

As the Junior League should be self-sup- 
porting, and is generally without any fixed 
dues, it will be well to give an entertainment 
Money-raising, occasionally, for admission to 
which a fee will be charged. To equip well 
a chapter with colors, banners, leaflets, Bibles, 
hymnals, a library, and other requisites, will 
require an outlay in excess of the income 
from the regular monthly offering at the busi- 
ness meeting of the League. Indeed, many 
chapters are living "at a poor, dying rate," 
because of lack of funds to secure a working 
outfit. Fairs, festivals, spelling-matches, 
quotation and pronouncing contests, choco- 
latieres, farces, musicales, etc., will readily 
suggest themselves. The Junior Leagues 
can easily compete with the Ladies' Aid 
Societies, the Epworth Leagues, and other 
organizations, in putting . forward attractive 



ENTERTAINMENT. 73 

programs and securing large patronage. 
Nor should they be discouraged from enter- 
ing this field, in view of the importance of 
the work for which they need funds. In 
some Leagues older members of the Church 
are elected honorary members, on the con- 
dition that they contribute one dollar per 
annum to the support of the chapter. This 
is a very good financial plan. 

There is no Department of Correspondence 
in the Junior League as in the Epworth ; so 
that we have no independent chapter in this 
manual for considering the duties The seC retary's 
pertaining to and allied with the duties - 
work of the secretary. In closing this last 
chapter, we desire, therefore, to emphasize 
the need of constant fidelity in making up 
the records of the League. It will be es- 
sential, especially in the larger, chapters, to 
have one or two assistant secretaries. Cor- 
respondence with the Central Office, No. 57 
Washington Street, Chicago, 111. ; recording 
the attendance, the meetings of the cabinet, 



74 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORK. 



and the work of the departments; distribut- 
ing the leaflets, issuing cards of invitation, of 
membership, and of the pledge; securing 
subscribers for the Epworth Herald ; mak- 
ing a scrap-book of the printed notices and 
programs of the Church and other historical 
data; collecting the autographs of the entire 
membership, — these and other duties suggest 
an expenditure of time and effort that will 
require a large and competent secretarial 
force. 



APPENDIX. 



Constitution of Junior League. 

[This form of constitution is not obligatory, but is 
prepared for such Junior Leagues as desire it. In many 
places the pastor will find it convenient to direct the 
work of the Junior League personally, or through a 
committee appointed by himself.] 

Article I. — Namk. 
This association shall be known as the Junior 

League of the Methodist Episcopal Church 

of . 

Article II.— Relations. 
It shall be auxiliary to the Epworth League, 
shall be under the control of the pastor and 
official board of the Church, and shall be an 
affiliated chapter of the Junior League of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Article III. — Object. 
The object of this League shall be to promote 
in its members a pure and worthy character, to 
aid them in the study of the Bible, and to pre- 
pare them for an earnest and useful Christian 
life. 

75 • 



7 6 



APPENDIX. 



Article IV. — Members. 
There shall be two classes of members: Active 
and Honorary. 

1. Active members shall be boys and girls of 
good moral character, who are under sixteen 
years of age. Honorary members shall be mem- 
bers of the Church, associated with the work of 
the Junior League, who are over sixteen years 
of age. Both active and honorary members may 
vote and hold office in the Junior League. 

2. Names of persons proposed for member- 
ship shall be given in writing to the Secretary, 
who shall present them to the cabinet. When 
approved by the cabinet they shall be recom- 
monded to the League, and shall become mem- 
bers when elected by a majority vote of the 
members present at the meeting. 

3. The pastor of the Church and those ap- 
pointed by him as leaders of the depa;~tments 
of the work of the League, shall have all the 
privileges of membership. 

Article V. — Departments. 

The work of the League shall be carried on 
through the following departments: 

1. Department of Devotional Work. 2. De- 
partment of Instruction. 3. Department of 
Temperance Work. 4. Department of Practical 
Work. 5. Department of Entertainment. 



CONSTITUTION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE. 77 

1. The Department of Devotional Work shall 
hold a weekly prayer-meeting or class-meeting 
for boys and girls, which all the members shall 
attend, if practicable, and in which all shall be 
urged to take part. 

2. The Department of Instrtiction shall hold 
regular meetings for instruction in the Bible, in 
the doctrines and institutions of the Church, 
and in Christian character. 

3. The Department of Temperance Work shall 
circulate the pledge, shall hold meetings for the 
promotion of the temperance reform, and shall 
enlist all the members in active work for the 
cause. 

4. The Department of Practical Work shall 
take charge of the distribution of tracts and 
papers, providing flowers for the Church serv- 
ices, visiting and aiding the sick, the blind, and 
the aged, bringing children to Church and to 
Sunday-school, working for home and foreign 
missions, and doing " lend-a-hand" work gen- 
erally. 

5. The Department of E7itertai?ime?it shall 
have charge of all social gatherings and all en- 
tertainments held under the auspices of the 
League. It may hold special meetings for this 
purpose, or may occasionally direct a part of the 
program at the meetings for instruction or the 
business meetings. 



7 8 



APPENDIX. 



Each department shall be under the direction 
of a leader, either appointed by the pastor, or, if 
chosen by the League, approved by the pastor. 
The leader shall nominate a committee of from 
three to five members to assist in the care of 
the department. At every business meeting a 
report shall be rendered by each department of 
its work. 

Article VI. — Officers. 

1. The officers shall be a President, who 
shall preside at the business meetings of the 
League; a Vice-President, to serve in the ab- 
sence of the President; a Secretary, who shall 
keep the records of the League, and correspond 
with the central office; and a Treasurer, who 
shall take charge of the funds, and pay them 
out by vote of the League. These officers shall 
be elected by ballot, on a majority vote, but 
shall not assume their offices until approved by * 
the pastor of the Church. They shall serve for 
six months, or until their successors shall have 
been chosen. 

2. The above-named officers, together with 
the leaders of the several departments, shall 
constitute the cabinet of the Junior League, to 
act as an Executive Committee for consultation 
on the interests of the League, to receive and 
report upon names proposed for membership, to 



CONSTITUTION OF JUNIOR LEAGUE. 79 



plan for the business meetings, and to plan for 
the work of the League through its depart- 
ments. 

Article VII. — By-La ws. 

The League may enact such by-laws as it 
shall require, in accordance with the provisions 
of the above Constitution. All by-laws must 
first be recommended by the cabinet, and then 
adopted by vote of the League. 



BY-LAWS. 

1. Meetings. — The regular meetings of the 
Junior League shall be as follows : 

(i.) Devotional meeting, weekly, on — 

afternoon at o'clock. 

(2.) Meeting for instruction, weekly, on 
afternoon at o'clock. The Depart- 
ment of Temperance Work shall have charge of 
a part of the program at the fourth meeting for 
instruction in each month; and the business 
meeting shall be held in connection with the 
first meeting in each month. 

2. Order of Business. — The following shall 
be the order of business meetings : 

(1.) Reading of the minutes of the last meet- 
ing and their approval. 

(2.) Reports from departments. 



8o 



APPENDIX. 



(3.) Unfinished business. 

(4.) Reports from committees. 

(5.) Propositions for membership and elec- 
tion of new members. 

(6.) Miscellaneous business. 

(7.) Inquiry concerning the pledge. [This is 
only for such Leagues as adopt the pledge. 
Where the pledge has been adopted, the Presi- 
dent will here inquire: "Have all the members 
kept the pledge faithfully since the last meet- 
ing?" In answer, all who have kept the pledge 
will rise.] 

(8.) Adjournment. 

3. Pledge. — Any Junior League desiring 
may, with the approval of the pastor, require its 
members to take the following pledge. This, 
however, is only for such Leagues as desire it, 
and is not a necessary requirement: 

" I do hereby promise, with the help of God, 
to try always to do right; to pray every day; 
to read every day in the Word of God; to ab- 
stain from profane language, from the use of 
tobacco, and from all intoxicating liquors. " 



II. A Specimen Meeting of the Epworth 
Guards. 

By Rev. N. J. Harkness, of the Rock River Conference. 

" Comb, children, it is just four o'clock. Now 
for our marching hymn. Listen ! How many 
know the first line?" Nearly every hand is 
raised. "All together: * Onward, Christian 
soldiers!' How many can tell me the number 
of the hymn?" Yes; 563. "In what book?" 
The Hymnal. "What Hymnal?" The Meth- 
odist Hymnal. " To-day we will repeat, and 
then sing the first three verses. You repeat 
these verses so carelessly. Are you tired?" 
Yes. "Come, then, and let us get freshened 
up. We will march a little. Boys, form in line, 
single file. The rest of us will sing w T hile you 
march. Down the center aisle, turn to your 
right, around to the left, down the center aisle 
to your seats. A short march will get you aw r ay 
from school-desks, paper-wads, pins, etc., and 
put your interest in the new order of the day. 
Now, girls, you may march in companies of ten. 
As I call your number, please form in line. 
Boys, you may stand around the organ and keep 
time with me. Let us have another marching 
hymn for the girls. What shall it be ?" " Step- 

6 81 



82 



APPENDIX. 



ping in the Light. " " Splendid ! When we 
come to the chorus, all clap your hands in time 
with the music. Not too loudly; we are in 
God's house, and we must reverence that. All 
ready ! March three times around, and then be 
seated. All together on the chorus. I am 
afraid that some one will forget, and take her 
seat before the others are seated. If we are 
soldiers, we must do everything in order. Look! 
As I lift my hands from the organ you can be 
seated. Very good. Give attention while I write 
on the board the order of exercises for to-day : 

1. Our marching hymn, 563. 

2. Knee drill and confession. 

3. Our pledge and covenant. 

4. Sword drill. 

5. Division drill. 

6. Testimony drill. 

7. Our offering and roll-call. 

8. Closing hymn, 581. 

"We can not take all of these drills to-day. 
Only a short part of each. Johnnie, what is the 
second thing on the program ?" Knee drill and 
confession. " Attention! When I raise my 
hands, please arise together. You see, we must 
turn around before we can kneel. We will all 
turn to the left to-day. Do not kneel until the 
signal is given. How can we bow down to- 
gether? I will tell you. Stand with your 



EPWORTH GUARDS' MEETING. 83 



weight on your left foot, right foot free. Now 
bring your right foot back, and kneel on your 
right knee. Do not move your left foot. Ready ! 
Kneel. Do not look around. We can see God 
better with our eyes closed than we can with 
them open. We will have a moment of silent 
prayer, then repeat our confession ; then let three 
or four lead us in prayer. 

Almighty -God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Maker of all things, Judge of all men : we acknowledge 
and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we 
from time to time most grievously have committed by 
thought, word, and deed against thy divine majesty, 
provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against 
us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for 
these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is 
grievous unto us. 

"Now, children, let us all pray while some 
one leads us in prayer. Annie, Josie, Clara, 
Gertie, pray that God may help us to live true 
Christian lives, may forgive all our sins, may 
bless our pastor and Sunday-school teacher, may 
bless the Epworth Guards. Amen. Arise. We 
have not yet learned the last part of our con- 
fession. We will practice five minutes on that 
before we repeat our pledge and covenant. That 
will do. We will not repeat our pledge entire 
to-day; only name the five things which we are 
to guard. First?" Body. " Second ?" Mind. 



8 4 



APPENDIX. 



"Third?" Soul. "Fourth?" Church. "Fifth?" 
Bible. "How does our Confession commence?" 
I renounce the devil and all his works? " Yes; 
let us repeat it entire [which we do at each 
meeting]. Now we will repeat one verse of our 
covenant hymn. What number is it? 5 " 238. 

" Jesus, thy blood and righteousness 
My beauty are, my glorious dress ; 
'Midst naming worlds in these arrayed, 
With joy shall I lift up my head." 

"Who wrote this beautiful hymn?" Nico- 
laus S. Zinzendorf. " Who translated it?" John 
Wesley. 

"Now for sword drill. Glad to see so many 
of you with your own Bibles. Did you have 
time before the meeting to go home and get 
them? O, carried them to school with you! 
Were }^ou not ashamed to be seen with your 
Bibles?" No. "Some of them did laugh, but 
you did not care. You told them you belonged 
to the Epworth Guards. That was right. I 
will commence with a familiar passage. Pro v. 
iv, 23. Time one-half a minute. Five on their 
feet. Please read. ' Keep thy heart with all 
diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' 
Where is that passage found?" Proverbs iv, 
23. "Never forget where that is found, for it 
is in our guard drill. Again: Matt, v, 3. What 



EP WORTH GUARDS' MEETING. 85 



is that verse called? Yes, a beatitude. Do you 
know what that means? Please find out, and 
tell me at our next meeting. How many his- 
torical books in the Old Testament?" Twelve. 
" Name them." Joshua, Judges, Ruth, First and 
Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, First 
and Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. 
"Good. Are there any prophetical books in the 
New Testament?" One. Revelation. "Please 
locate the books as I name them. Hosea?" 
Minor prophet. "Joshua?" Historical book of 
the Old Testament. '"John?" Historical book 
of the New Testament. "James?" Catholic 
epistle. "Ah! some of you are forgetting. We 
must review these again next week. Susie, what 
is the next thing on the program?" Division 
drill. "What division of the great army of 
Jesus Christ do we belong to?" Methodist 
Episcopal. "Who was the founder of the 
Methodist Church?" John Wesley. "When 
w r as he born?" 1703. "And where?" At Ep- 
worth, England. " What is the name of our 
little company?" Epworth Guards. " From 
what were we named?" From the place where 
John Wesley was born. "When was the Meth- 
odist Church in this country organized?" De- 
cember 25, 1784, at Baltimore. "How many 
different Conferences have we?" Four. "Name 



86 APPENDIX. 

them." General, Annual, District, and Quar- 
terly. "Which do we have in our Church?" 
Quarterly. "How often do we have it?" O, 
once a quarter. "How often is that?" Why, 
once every four months. "Iyook out." Three 
months. "Yes, once every three months. Have 
we any other Conferences, and how many?" Yes, 
three — Judicial, Electoral, and Mission. " We 
must practice these three very much more. We 
do not know them well. An hour is nearly 
gone; only ten minutes more. We must have 
testimony drill before we close. Let me see how 
many will testify in three minutes. Thank God 
that there are so many who are glad to testify 
for Jesus. He loves to hear your voices. Now, 
while Willie and Charley take our offering (re- 
member it is for missions to-day) I will call the 
roll. Susie, Jessie, Mary, Fred, and Walter are 
sick. I must, before we go, appoint a special 
Committee of Mercy and Help to visit our sick. 
Annie, will you see Susie? Hattie may call on 
Jessie. Cora may visit Ma^. Rob, you may 
see Fred. And Arthur, you may see Walter. 
You are to report next week. If any of them 
are real sick, we must send them some flowers 
to tell them we do not forget any of our guards." 
O, I forgot my penny! "Very well. Remem- 
ber to bring two next week, one for missions 



KP WORTH GUARDS' MEETING. 87 



and one for the guards. We wMl close by ris- 
ing to our feet and singing one verse of our 
Guard Hymn. What is the number?" 581. 

"My soul, be on thy guard, 
Ten thousand foes arise ; 
The hosts of sin are pressing hard, 
To draw thee from the skies." 
"Keep in line to the door; go quietly. Good- 
bye." 



III. The Children's Hour. 

By Richard Wheatley, D. D. 

As conducted by Rev. John J. Reed, D. D., and de- 
scribed by Rev. Richard Wheatley, D. D., in The 
Christian Advocate^ of November 12, 1891. The 
aim and work of " The Children's Hour " are simi- 
lar to those of the Junior League, and are here set 
forth through the kindness of Rev. Drs. Reed and 
Wheatley. Bound copies of the program used by 
Dr. Reed can be obtained at low cost from the 
Methodist Book Concern. No book will be more 
suggestive and helpful to Junior League Workers. 

How To induce the multitudes to attend 
church, and to send their children to the Sun- 
day-school, that all, young and old, may be 
thoroughly instructed unto the kingdom of God, 
justified, sanctified, and established in beneficent 
living, is one of the vexed problems of the time. 
The solution is not to be found in the thought and 
work of any one man; but the thought and work 
of each man, and of some men more than others, 
will powerfully contribute toward the solution. 

Few, if any, city pastors understand the dif- 
ficulties of the situation better than the Rev. 
John J. Reed, D. D., pastor of Bedford Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in New York, and 
formerly pastor of that on Fourth Street, Wash- 
88 



THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. 89 



ington Square. Himself a native of the city, in- 
structed in its public schools, and a close observer 
of social phenomena, he has learned how to 
grapple intelligently and earnestly with local ob- 
structions to the spread of the gospel of Christ. 

While in charge of the Washington Square 
Church, Dr. Reed established the Children's 
Hour as a means of recruiting for the Sunday- 
school, and the Church, of calling the attention of 
families to the claims of Christianity, and of 
bringing the neighboring community under the 
influence of revealed truth. Since then five 
years of experience and study in two Cincinnati 
Churches, followed by his present pastoral term, 
have added to resource and efficiency. Methods 
and results of work now claim the notice of 
thoughtful observers, and to greater or less ex- 
tent serve as guides to laborers in similar cir- 
cumstances who wish to operate to the best ad- 
vantage. 

Cardinal Wiseman is credited with the utter- 
ance: " Give me the children, and in twenty 
years England will be Catholic. " This apho- 
ristic exclamation indicates possibility, but not 
probability, inasmuch as England was not at 
all likely to confide all her children to his relig- 
ious training. Neither himself nor his co-relig- 
ionists have been distinguished by extreme 



9 o 



APPENDIX. 



anxiety to avoid all appearance of unfairness and 
proselytism in educational procedure. Dr. Reed, 
on the contrary, issues his cards of invitation to 
the Children's Hour only to ostensibly Protest- 
ant children, who may accept, with " consent of 
parents." Parental authority is wisely respected. 
Notwithstanding utmost carefulness, his visits 
to the public schools have been grossly mis- 
represented, and himself bitterly denounced at 
early mass by officiating priests. Secular news- 
papers, hankering after exciting topics, entered 
into assault upon the unoffending minister, who 
quietly prosecuted his labors without deigning 
to reply or to defend his course. His course 
did not need any defense. It was its own vin- 
dication — so kindly, so truthful, so fair, so use- 
ful, that mere continuance brought forth its 
righteousness as the light, and its judgment as 
the noonday. 

In September, 1890, cards of invitation to the 
Children's Hour, worded precisely like their pre- 
decessors, were sent to the addresses of pupils 
who had attended in 1889, and each was asked to 
present the card at the first meeting from 3.30 to 
4.30 P. M. on Friday, October 3d. Seven hun- 
dred and fourteen at the outset, or subsequently, 
accepted the invitation — accepted it willingly and 
gladly. During the month of October an average 



THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. 91 



of five hundred and thirty-five was in weekly at- 
tendance. Thenceforward until after Christmas, 
for local reasons, the average attendance was 
somewhat smaller. No small amount of labor is 
involved in the preliminaries like those just de- 
scribed. It is labor, however, that creates the 
probabilities of its own success, because it ap- 
peals to the self-respect of each child, and con- 
ciliates thought and feeling in favor of the bene- 
factor who issues the invitation. The recipient 
is further informed that on pre sent atio7i of this 
postal at the door of the church, on Wednesday 
or Thursday, October 1st or 2d, from 3.30 to 4.30 
P. M., a Children's Hour Card can be secured. 
The genial clergyman then waxes confidential, 
while remaining altogether cordial, and continues 
thus: "Tell all those who came to the Chil- 
dren's Hour last year, and also all your young 
friends of suitable age (10 to 18) in the grammar- 
schools. They can probably get tickets at the 
door or elsewhere. We want only well-disposed 
young people. You know. Talk it up every- 
where. We expect to have another grand time. 
Get permission of your parents to come." 

Each of the tickets admits the holder to thir- 
teen meetings, from October 3d to December 26th. 
" Boys and Girls, Come Sure," greets the eyes of 
every possessor. Protestant pupils of the Gram- 



92 



APPENDIX. 



mar departments in the Ninth Ward public 
schools are particularly invited. Roman Cath- 
olics, nevertheless, are not rejected. Why should 
they be ? Nor have they wholly declined to at- 
tend, nor to invite others to attend. Why should 
they? They are asked to hear what God says. 
As immortal, accountable beings, all are bidden 
to the convocation, that they may learn the way 
of salvation and eternal blessing. Recitations, 
music, anagrams, and object-teaching are all in- 
cidental to the chief design. 

" Invite the nicest boys and girls you know — 
those who will be orderly, and who want to be 
good," is a recommendation that speaks volumes 
in relation to the character and design of the 
Children's Hour. It is prophylactic, conserva- 
tive, progressive — redemptive, too, in that the 
growth in knowledge and grace desiderated im- 
plies commensurate deliverance from the power 
and inbeing of moral evil. 

The Children's Hour card bears the name, 
number, and residence of the owner. It specifies 
the salient characteristics of the meeting, charms 
subtly by stating that no one exercise is to last 
over four minutes, courts co-operation by the 
query, " What can you do for us?" says that at four 
o'clock there will be a brief object-lesson by the 
pastor, and that "the letter with each date is the 



THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. 93 



first letter of the name of the object. " " Guess 
what it will be," is a challenge that is sure to be 
taken up by the brightest and most eager. At- 
tendance at each date is duly punched on the 
card, and follows the 'usual dismissal from the 
public schools. Willful violation of the rules of 
the Children's Hour forfeits the card. Frances 
Ridley Havergal's consecration hymn, "Yea, let 
Him take all," printed on the reverse of the card, 
defines the immediate object of pastor and co- 
adjutors, and sets forth the human side of that 
irrevocable covenant with the Most High that 
necessarily precedes truly successful life. 

" Take myself, and I will be, 
Ever, only, all for Thee." 

Every publication of the pastor keeps this 
proximate end in view. To attain it is the a'im 
of persistent, passionate, godly resolution. Thus 
the Children's Hour edition of the Bedford Street 
Record, October 3d, announces a second annual 
course of sermons to young people, of which 
course the general topic is, "Six Guide-posts on 
the Way of Life." On October 5th, the special 
topic is, "An Interesting Question for Every 
Young Man to Ask;" October 12th, "The Great- 
est Care of Every Young Man in Life;" October 
19th, "The First Thing for Every Young Man 
to Learn;" October 26th, "The Wise Thing for 



94 



APPENDIX. 



Every Young Man to Do;" November 2d, "The 
Best Exercise for Every Young Man to Take;" 
November 9th, "The Last Thing any Young 
Man would Wish to Remember." The children, 
after the meeting of the previous Friday, nat- 
urally wish to know what the pastor has to say 
on each topic, and as naturally talk about their 
expectancies to others, and bid them also to be 
on hand on the Lord's-day. Thus each becomes 
an unpaid, but none the less enthusiastic and 
efficient member of the gospel propaganda. 

On December 6, 1890, the writer was called 
upon to preside at the Children's Hour, a function 
all the more easy because of the narrow predes- 
tined limit within which it was to be exercised. 
Singing the Doxology, prayer, and joint repeti- 
tion of the Lord's Prayer, was followed by 
alternate reading of the Ten Commandments 
and the common avowal of the Apostles' Creed. 
Exercises by the young people include piano, 
violin, fife, zither, and vocal solo, duets, and 
recitations. Names of performers and spectators 
denote the cosmopolitan complexion of the con- 
vention. They are Teutonic, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, 
Slavonic, Italian, French, and Batavian; yet all 
are being fused into Americans, and Americans 
exclusively, by the plastic forces of the public 
schools, and the mighty power of Gospel truth. 



THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. 95 



All are made to feel that the Children's Hour is 
no ''baby business." Decorum and reverence 
distinguish it. Order seems natural to it. Public 
school discipline aids in assuring prompt obe- 
dience. Must and must not are words that repeat- 
edly appear in the program, and they evidently 
mean just what they say to the juvenile readers. 
Every one is lovingly urged to determine to be 
a Christian. The disciplinary, educational, nat- 
ionalizing influence of such an institution upon 
the childhood and youth of the commonwealth 
is most salutary. 

After a brief intermission, in which an im- 
mense amount of interesting but not noisy chat 
is accomplished, the pastor delivers his object- 
address— the object or objects in this instance 
being two live newsboys, who scurried through 
the aisles with newspapers under arm, and did 
a very lively business before the meeting was 
again called to order. Objects of preceding and 
succeeding lessons were such as were most 
likely to strike and stick in the memories of the 
children. Their ingenuity, too, was called into 
play by the offer of a prize to any young per- 
son who would make the most words out of the 
large initial letters found in the weekly dates of 
the card. Achievement in this field was no less 
astonishing than amusing. 



9 6 



APPENDIX. 



Varied interest is further imparted to the as- 
sembly by different presidents; such as the Rev. 
Drs. C. H. Payne, S. F. Upham, Chaplain 
McCabe, Colonel Elliot F. Shepard, and other 
prominent business men. The testimony of such 
witnesses for Christ and Christianity goes much 
farther with the youthful but keen-witted chil- 
dren than is often supposed, and that for the rea- 
son that it is neither perfunctory nor professional. 
Never was it more necessary than it is now that 
the Christianity of Christ should be exemplified 
by the lives of all classes of his professed fol- 
lowers. Where it is the life of the individual, 
it can not be hid ; nor can the world escape its 
power; nor will the world wish to escape it 
wholly. That power will everywhere wisely 
modify its forth-puttings in adaptation to cir- 
cumstances. 

At a session of the Children's Hour recently 
held, Chaplain McCabe enforced the duty of 
intelligent, entire consecration to the loving serv- 
ice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This, it is need- 
less to repeat, was in concord with the objective 
of pastor and helper throughout the precarious 
three months of studious,, versatile planning, and 
earnest, self-sacrificing toil. The influence of 
spirit and aim upon those in attendance is 
marked. Large numbers have been induced to 



THE CHILDREN'S HOUR. 



97 



attend church on Sunday morning, and many of 
them will doubtless become pillars of the Church 
spiritual. On the roll of honor at the Children's 
Hour are inscribed the names of all who had 
been present at church service on Sunday morn- 
ings for three months. There they are trained 
to give in proportion to their ability for the sup- 
port of the gospel and of the several benef- 
icences of the Church. 

Pastoral work that embraces institutions like 
the Church Lyceum and the Children's Hour, 
taxes all the resources and claims all the hours 
of the ablest and most devoted minister. The 
Children's Hour is only one of many instruments 
of usefulness — an instrument intently studied and 
judiciously shaped in harmony with environ- 
ment, but still only an instrument. An occa- 
sional course of sermons on stated topics to 
Church, congregation, and community, is an- 
other. Printed material for general circulation 
is a third. 

Methods like this of the Children's Hour — 
methods instinct with burning enthusiasm for 
the good of humanity — go far to overcome the 
outspoken conviction of many parents that chil- 
dren must sow their wild oats, and that to in- 
duce them to enter the service of Christ is an 
interference with their personal liberty. The 

7 



9 8 



APPENDIX. 



slime and stench and lies of the old serpent are 
everywhere in human society, and not least, per- 
haps, in the largest cities. Such methods as 
those illustrated in Bedford Street attract mul- 
titudes to the Methodist Episcopal Church, in- 
corporate the youthful increment with the 
Church, and train it for masterful ability in the 
future. These methods are but parts of a wider 
and grander whole, whose outcome, in the order 
of sovereign grace, is the evangelization, the sur- 
render, the sanctification, the heavenly blessed- 
ness of commonwealth and of race. 



IV. Courses of Study for the Junior 
League. 



Arranged by the Board of Control. 

1. The Four Gospels to be read, and ques- 
tions to be answered. 

2. The Acts and Epistles to be read, and 
questions to be answered. 

3. The Bible Lesson Leaflets. First series 
containing lessons on the books of the Bible, 
Bible History, and the Holy Land. Seven 
leaflets. 3 cents. 

4. The Bible Lesson Leaflets. Second series. 
Eight lessons on Old Testament Characters. 4 
cents. 

5. The Bible Lesson Leaflets. Third series. 
Seven lessons on the life of the apostle Paul. 
3 cents. 

6. The Palestine Class. Pilgrim Grade. 2 
cents. 

7. The Palestine Class. Resident Grade. 2 
cents. 

8. The Palestine Class. Explorer Grade. 2 
cents. 

9. The Palestine Class. Dweller in Jerusa- 
lem Grade. 2 cents. 

99 



IOO 



APPKNDIX. 



10. The Young Traveler's Class. 10 cents, 
n. The Church Catechism, No. i. 4 cents. 

12. The Church Catechism, No. 2. 5 cents. 

13. The Church Catechism, No. 3. 6 cents. 

14. The Chautauqua Young Folks' Reading 
Union. The course of the Chautauqua Young 
Folks' Reading Union will be recognized by the 
Junior League, with a seal. 

For the leaflets and books of these courses, 
address the publishers, Hunt & Eaton, New 
York, or Cranston & Curts, Cincinnati, Chicago, 
or St. Louis. Samples of the leaflets will be 
sent upon application, if a stamp is inclosed. 
The blanks for examination in these courses, 
certificates of membership, and the seals, can be 
obtained only at the Epworth League Head- 
quarters, 57 Washington Street, Chicago, 111. 



V. A List of Topics for Junior League 
Meetings. 



1. Starting Right. 2 Chron. xxxiv, 3. 

2. Thk Praises of the; Children. Psa. viii, 2 ; Matt. 

xxi, 15. 

3. Two Questions. Acts ix, 5, 6. 

4. At School. Psa. cxliii, 10. 

5. What it Cost, i Cor. vi, 19, 20 ; 1 Peter i, 18, 19. 

6. Christ, Our Bread and Water. John vi, 51 ; 

John iv, 14. 

7. Where Does God Live? Jer. xxiii, 24; Psa. lxxx, 

1; 1 John iv, 12, 13, 15, 16. 

8. What SEEK Ye? John i, 38; Isa. Iv, 6; Matt, vi, 33 ; 

Col. iii, 1. 

9. The Ears, Hands, and Feet Consecrated. Lev. 

viii, 23. 

10. The Eagle's Nest. Dent, xxxii, 11, 12. 

11. Whiter than Snow. Psa. li, 7. 

12. The Tears of Jesus. John xi, 35; Lnke xix, 41. 

13. The Joy of Jesus. Lnke x, 21, 22. 

14. Angei<S. Psa. xci, 11; Heb. i, 14; Gen. xxxii, 1, 2; 

Acts xii, 7, 8. 

15. The Sum Total of Christianity. Gal. v, 6. 

16. Fear Not. Isa. xli, 10. Ex. xiv, 13; Gen. xv, 1. 

17. The Lily Among Thorns. Canticles ii, 2. 

18. Two Marks of Good Sheep. John x, 27. 

19. The Armor for Christian Soldiers. Eph. vi, 

14-17. 

20. Diligence. Prov. x, 4; Prov. xx, 13; Prov. xxii, 29. 

21. Little Things. 2 Kings v, 13; Lnke iii, 16; Lnke 

xvi, 10. 



102 



APPENDIX. 



22. Our Eyes. Mark vii, 22; Matt, vi, 22; Prov. iv, 25. 

23. Our Tongues. James iii, 8; Col. iv, 5, 6; Psa. xv, 

1 ; Matt, xii, 36, 37. 

24. How to Become Great. Matt, xx, 26, 27, 28. 

25. The Two Yokes. Jer. xxviii, 13. 

26. The Wise Choice of Moses. Heb. xi, 24, 25, 26. 

27. Both Sides of the Question. Matt, xxiii, 23. 

28. The Past Gone Forever. Deut. xvii, 16; Psa. xc, 

9, 10. 

29. Face to Face with God. Gen. xxxii, 30; Ex. 

xxxiii, 11. 

30. God's Care of a Righteous Youth. Gen. 1, 20. 

31. Lessons from the Potter. Jer. xviii, 3, 4. 

32. Lessons from Birds and Flowers. Matt, vi, 26, 28. 

33. Bright Faces. Ex. xxxiv, 29; Acts vi, 15. 

34. Thoughtlessness. Isa. i, 3. 

35. God's Nature, i John iv, 16. 

36. Why Love God? i John iv, 19. 

37. The Proof of Love. John xiv, 15. 

38. To-day ! Psa. xcv, 7, 8. 

39. Peace-makers. Matt, v, 9. 

40. Things to Think About. Phil, iv, 8. 

41. The Golden Rule. Matt, vii, 12. 

42. Addition. 2 Peter i, 5-7. 

43. A Beam or a Mote. Matt, vii, 3, 4, 5. 

44. CouRTEOUSNESS. i Peter iii, 8. 

45. Companions. Psa. i, 1 ; Prov. xiii, 20; 2 Cor. vi, 14-16. 

46. Our Father. Matt, vi, 9; Rom. viii, 15. 

47. Fallow Ground. Hosea x, 12. 

48. Sowing on Four Soils. Matt, xiii, 1-8. 

49. Sowing and Reaping. Gal. vi, 7, 8. 

50. Envy. Prov. xiv, 2; Gen. xxxvii, 11; Matt, xxvii, 18, 

51. Fleeing From Duty. Jonah i, 1-17. 

52. Master of One's Self, i Cor. ix, 25. 



JUNIOR LKAGUK MEETINGS TOPICS. 103 



53. Temptation. Heb. ii, 18; 2 Peter ii, 9; 1 Cor. x, 13. 

54. Hezekiah's Thoroughness. 2 Chron. xxxi, 21. 

55. Looking Back. Luke xvii, 32 ; Luke ix, 62. 

56. Praise. Psa. lxix, 30, 31 ; Psa. xcii, 1, 2. 

57. Speaking for Jesus. Psa. lxvi, 16; Matt, x, 32; 

Mai. iii, 16. 

58. Giving. Acts xx, 35 ; Matt, x, 8. 

59. Studying God's Word. John v, 39 ; 2 Tim. iii, 6 ; 

Psa. cxix, 11, 105. 

60. Praying. Matt, vii, 7, 8, 11 ; 1 John v, 14 ; Psa. lxvi, 18. 

61. Singing. Psa. civ, 33 ; Eph. v, 19 ; Acts xvi, 25 ; Rev. 

xlv, 3. 

62. Reading. Acts viii, 30 ; 1 Tim. iv, 13 ; Rev. i, 3. 

63. Never Discouraged. Isa. i, 10; 2 Cor. xii, 9. 

64. Vows. Psa. lxxvi, 1 1 ; Eccl. v, 4, 5. 

65. The Sabbath. Isa. lviii, 13, 14. 

66. The Poor. Psa. xli, 1 ; Matt, xix, 21. 

67. The Sick. John xi, 3 ; James v, 14 ; Matt, xxv, 36. 

68. How to Treat the Animal Kingdom. Prov. xii, 10. 

69. The Love of Money. Job xxxi, 24-28 ; 1 Tim. vi, 10. 

70. Public Worship. Psa. lxxxiv, 1, 2 ; John iv, 24. 

71. Temperance. Prov. xx, 1 ; 1 Cor. viii, 12 ; Hab. ii, 15. 

72. Missions. Mark xvi, 15; Rom. ii, 12; Isa. lxi, 11. 

73. God Good, yet Severe. Rom. xi, 22 ; Prov. i, 24-31. 

74. Seven Things God Hates. Prov. vi, 16-19. 

75. The Final Judgment. 2 Cor. v, 10; Matt, xxv, 

31-46. 



fiOO^S FOH THE JUfilO^S. 

Here are Three Choice Libraries, put up in neat boxes, 
just right for the Junior League, the Primar}^ Class in 
the Sunday-school, or the Little Folks at Home. 



WINDSOR GEMS. 

Little Henry, 

The Story of a Cuckoo Clock. 
Katie's Christmas Lesson. 
The Witch of the Quarry hut. 
Tom's Memorable Christmas. 

Each volume is 4^x6^ inches in size, and contains 64 
pages. Bound in cloth, handsomely illuminated. Text 
by Annie S. Swan, Miss Edgeworth, and others. Illus- 
trated. Price, post-paid, $2.00. 



Ten Volumes, 

The Little Forester. 
Our Father. 
The White Dove. 
The Bracelets. 
Waste Not, Want Not. 



RUGBY GEMS. 

Little Blue Mantle. 
Nannette's New Shoes. 
Little Golden Locks. 
Ways of Wisdom. 
Syds New Pony. 
Paul Cuffee. 



Twelve Volumes. 

Bess. 

Captain John's Adventures. 
The Little Woodman. 
The Orphan of Kinloch. 
Blanche Gamond. 
The Pearl Necklace. 



Bach volume 4^x6^ inches in size, and contains 64 
pages. Illuminated cloth binding. Text by Annie S. 
Swan, Robina F. Hardy, and others. Illustrated. Price, 
post-paid, $2.40. 

THE TINY LIBRARY. Twelve Volumes. 

Harry Carlton's Holiday. The Broken Window. 
The Peddler's Loan. A Little Loss and a Big Find. 

What a Little Cripple Did. Letty Young's Trial. 
Bobby. Brave Boys. 

Matty and Tom. Little fern, the Rag Merchant. 

Little Chrissie, and Other John Madge's Cure for Self- 
Stories, ishness. 
Each volume is 3^x4^ inches in size, and contains 64 
pages. Illuminated cloth binding. Beautiful stories for 
younger children. Illustrated. Price, post-paid, $1.80. 



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SEVEN GREAT LIGHTS. 

By REV. K^RR B. TUPPER, D. D. 

i2mo. Cloth. 1 88 pages, 75 cents. 

Sketches of Luther, Cranmer, Knox, Wesley, 
Edwards, Campbell, and Spurgeon. 

Dr. W. F\ McDowell, President of the University of Denver, 
says in the Introduction : "These 'Seven Great Lights ' were not 
chosen arbitrarily, but were selected, after careful consultation, to 
represent these seven Churches. They are presented here in chron- 
ological order, with Luther, founder of Protestantism, at the head, 
and Spurgeon, one of its finest products, at the close of the list." 

Dr. Tupper discusses the questions involved in a true catholic 
spirit. His style is lucid and chaste. His estimate of men is gen- 
erally fair and candid. These brief monographs are useful as well 
as interesting.— Zion's Herald. 

The book is eminently suggestive and stimulating. The lives 
of men eminent for zeal and consecration are full of inspiration. 
Men of different creeds are here seen to be one in consecrated 
earnestness." — The Guardian, Toronto. 

The sketches are well drawn, vigorous, and readable. They 
give valuable information respecting each of the great men men- 
tioned, and also respecting the times in which they lived.— Public 
Opinion , Washington , D. C. 



CORNER WORK; Or, Look Up and Lift Up. 

By MYRA GOODWIN PL/ANTZ. 

i2mo. Cloth. 277 pages y 75 cents. 

"In the world of darkness, 
So we must sbine — 
You in your small corner, 
And I in mine." — Song. 

An excellent story for the young, based on Epworth League 
principles, and will be received with favor by all members of this 
organization, as well as by our Sunday-schools. It will give a 
"Look-up and Lift-up" to every one who reads it —Baltimore 
Methodist. 

This is a pure, entrancing, instructive religious story, so 
written as to interest and impress for good any who may read it, 
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Matters on Ciderville Sirkut. 

By ELIJAH P. BROWN, Editor of the Ram's Horn. 

I2VIO. Cloth, j88 pages , $i 20 

Contains the famous "Ganderfoot Letters," in which 
Silas Ganderfoot, of Muskeeter Kounty, in style and 
orthography all his own, recounts the doins in Methodist 
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infidelity. A book replete with interest and instruction. 

Every reader of this book will find himself built up in the 
faith. The light needs no introduction, because it is good for the 
eyes. This book needs no words of praise, because the truth is 
sweet to the heart. — Rev. Henry A. Buchtel, in Introduction. 

The author of this volume is a genius ; more, he is a moral 
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and has a remarkable talent for portraj'ing, in the most ridiculous 
light, inconsistent and worldly Church members. . . . The book 
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Two Splendid Stories in One Volume: 

MISTAKEN, and MARION FORSYTH, Or, Unspotted 
from the World. 

Stories of True and False Devotion. 

By ANNIE S. SWAN. 

i6mo. Cloth. 144 pages, 45 cents. 

"This is not a fancy sketch; it is truth? The vine- 
yard is large, the laborers few. Are there any who, for 
Christ's sake, are ready to work for him with earnestness 
and singleness of heart, keeping themselves unspotted 
from the world?" — Extract. 

Although a deep religious character pervades the book, it is all 
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4 vols. 1 6 mo. Cloth. Nearly joo pages each. Per 
volume 60 cents. 

Vol. 1. FINDING THK TRUTH. 

Vol. 2. TEACHING THE TRUTH. 

Vol. 3. USING THE TRUTH. 

Vol. 4. THE HUSBANDMAN. 
A most valuable series for the Home, League, or Sunday-school 
library. They teach the value of the commonest things of every- 
day life, in illustrating the most valuable truths, and so suggest an 
inexhaustible source of entertainment and instruction. A very 
interesting story runs through them all, and helps to fascinate 
young minds. 

Lena ; or, The Stark Family. A Sketch of Real 
Life. From the Swedish of H. Hofsten. By 
Carl Larsen. 

i6mo. Cloth. 247 pages. 60 cents. 

The beautiful story of a family of wealth and refinement, por- 
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A Visit to the Bjorkheda Parsonage. Also from the 
Swedish of H. Hofsten. 

i2ino. Cloth. 273 pages, go cents. 

Lessons of usefulness gleaned from the busy life which cen- 
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Ethel Linton; or, The Feversham Temper. By 

E. A. W. 

i6mo. Cloth. 3 17 pages. 60 cents. 

This interesting story illustrates the evil wrought by an unfor- 
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H. Daniels, A. M. 

i2mo. Cloth. 434 pages, go cents. 

A thrilling story. Characters strong and well wrought out. It 
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i6mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 341 pages, go cents. 

The story of a summer vacation spent in the West, in which the 
many episodes incidental to such a trip are mingled with a study 
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Jesse and Ray; or, Recreations in Natural History. 
For Boys and Girls. By the same author. 
i6mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 333 pages. 75 cents. 

A companion volume to the above, representing the same family 
engaged in the interesting study of nature at their home. 

Stories of Patriotism and Devotion. Translated 
from the French. By Mrs. Belle Tevis Speed. 
i6mo. Cloth. Illustrated. 323 pages, go cents. 

" From the heroic age to the present date one prevailing taste 
has held universal sway, even amid ridicule and censure. Men, 
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What God does is well done. From the German 
of Salzman. By Miss E. T. Disosway. 
i2mo. Cloth. 304 pages. 60 cents. 

The lesson taught in the following pages is that of trust in the 
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i6mo. Cloth, j/j pages. 75 cents. 

The famity of a German forester is bereft of the husband and 
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i6mo. Cloth. 297 pages. 60 cents. 

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Patient Susie ; or, Paying the Mortgage. By Julia 
K. Bloomfield. 

i6mo. Cloth. 265 pages. 60 cents. 

" Be strong to bear, O heart ; 

Nothing is vain. 
Strive not ; for life is care, 

And God sends pain. 
Heaven is above, and there 

Rest will remain." 



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The Path of Life; Or, Sketches of the Way to 

Glory and Immortality. By Daniel Wise, D. D. 

i6mo. Cloth. 246 pages. 60 cents. 

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late one of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

i6mo. Cloth. Gilt. 231 pages. 60 cents. 

If we can confirm and deepen the convictions of wise 
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i6mo. Cloth. 242 pages. 60 cents. 

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Living in Earnest : With Lessons and Incidents 
from the Lives of the Great and Good. A Book 
for Young Me?i. By Joseph Johnson. 

i6mo. Cloth. 264 pages. 4s cents. 

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Prayer. Its Nature, Conditions, and Effects. By 
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161110. Cloth. /J/ pages. 45 cents. 

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From the Up worth Herald. 
Dr. Van. Anda has given us a clear, concise, and thoughtful little 
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Front the Michigan Christian Advocate. 

Devout in spirit, simple in stj'le, Biblical in basis of treatment, 
this little book is helpful to a right understanding and a right use 
of prayer. The author defines the subject and specifies the con- 
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The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit ; or, Philosophy of 
the Divine Operation in the Redemption of Man. 
By Rev. James B. Walker, D. D. 

121110. Cloth. 235 pages, go cents. 

We do not hope that the \ T iews here presented will be at once 
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plishing the end for which they have been written— to glorify the true 
God, manifested in Christ, and revealed through Christ by the 
Holy Spirit—Extract from Author'' s Preface. 

Evangelical Rationalism ; or, A Consideration of 
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By Loren L,. Knox, D. D. 

161110. Cloth. 250 pages. 60 cents. 

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